The final season of Stranger Things is almost here, and fans couldn’t be more excited to reunite with Hawkins’ beloved heroes. But alongside the anticipation for the series finale, another topic is making headlines — the cast salaries for Season 5.

From its humble beginnings as a cult Netflix series, Stranger Things has grown into a global sensation. With its skyrocketing popularity, the show’s stars are now earning jaw-dropping paychecks, turning their early modest earnings into multimillion-dollar contracts. Here’s a closer look at how much the cast is making, who tops the list, and what it all says about fame, streaming, and Netflix’s approach to its biggest stars.

Stranger Things Season 5 Salaries: A Quick Overview

Since the show’s debut, the Stranger Things cast has seen a dramatic rise in earnings. Netflix reportedly organizes salaries based on each actor’s role, experience, and popularity.

Here’s a brief snapshot of the Season 5 pay scale:

Winona Ryder and David Harbour top the list, earning nearly $10 million for the season. The younger core group of friends follows closely with around $7 million each. Millie Bobby Brown, meanwhile, has a separate contract with Netflix thanks to her work on Enola Holmes and The Electric State, likely putting her earnings even higher.

It’s a huge leap from Season 1, where the main cast reportedly earned just $20,000–$30,000 per episode.

Cast Pay Tiers Explained

This table clearly shows that the highest-paid Stranger Things cast members are Winona Ryder and David Harbour. They top the list with nearly $10 million for the final season. Both stars have long careers and play key roles in the show. Winona Ryder was a major name before the series began, and David Harbour’s role has grown into one of the show’s most beloved.

These young stars have been the backbone of Stranger Things since the very beginning. In Season 5, most of the cast is taking home around $875,000 for each episode, adding up to nearly $7 million for the full season.

The older teens Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton play important supporting roles, often tied to major storylines. They’ll be earning around $750,000 per episode, totaling about $6 million for the full season.

Other cast members who appear in fewer scenes or play smaller roles are part of Tier 4. Their pay is significantly lower, usually under $500,000 total for the season. Some may be paid per appearance.

As for Millie Bobby Brown, her earnings are not part of the standard tier system. Thanks to her other Netflix projects like Enola Holmes and The Electric State, she’s working under a separate Netflix contract, which likely pushes her total income even higher.

Tier 4 includes actors with limited appearances or smaller roles, such as Brett Gelman (Murray Bauman), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler) and Gabriella Pizzolo (Suzie). These actors often earn under $500,000 per season due to fewer appearances and smaller contracts.

Stranger Things Cast Salaries Through the Years

In Season 1, the core group of kids — Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, and Noah Schnapp were earning around $20,000 to $30,000 for each episode.At the time, they were all still relatively unknown. They were fresh faces, and at the time, Stranger Things was still a gamble for Netflix.

The more popular the show became, the more the cast’s worth increased. By the time Season 3 rolled around, many of the cast members saw a significant pay raise. The core cast of kids eventually started earning anywhere from $250,000 to $350,000 per episode. Veteran performers such as Winona Ryder and David Harbour were paid at an even higher level.

This was when Netflix began recognizing and rewarding the key actors from its biggest hits. With Season 5 underway, the cast is seeing their biggest paychecks to date. Compared to where they started, this is a massive jump. For example, how much the Stranger Things cast makes in Season 5 is 30 to 50 times more than what they earned in Season 1!

The Stranger Things salary evolution shows how the show’s success changed the lives of its cast. Netflix recognized the value of keeping the original team together and rewarded them accordingly.

Paying the cast of Season 5 reportedly exceeds $75 million, not including production, VFX, and marketing. Netflix sees this as a strategic investment. The high salaries retain top talent, encourage franchise growth (spin-offs, movies) and ensure fan loyalty. While critics argue Netflix overpays, the platform is clearly thinking long-term.

The cast salaries for Stranger Things Season 5 highlight the show’s incredible growth. From Millie Bobby Brown’s separate multimillion-dollar deal to Winona Ryder and David Harbour’s $1.2 million per episode, the earnings reflect the cast’s value and Netflix’s commitment to its top talent. Even younger stars like Sadie Sink, Gaten Matarazzo, and Finn Wolfhard are earning millions, while supporting actors remain in lower pay tiers.

Ultimately, these figures demonstrate how streaming platforms reward success, talent, and audience loyalty — a clear indicator of the changing landscape of entertainment compensation in the digital age.

Meanwhile, you can check out the exact time when Stranger Things 5 Volume 2 will release in your country.